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13 January 2026

President Cyril Ramaphosa

Private Bag X1000

Pretoria

0001

South Africa

Attention: His Excellency President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa

Dear President Ramaphosa,

Re: Request for a Meeting to Discuss South Africa’s Governance Crisis and the Need for Constitutional Reform

I write to you in my capacity as Executive Director of Lex Libertas, a newly founded think tank and advocacy group committed to promoting a viable and just political dispensation for all the peoples of South Africa. Our work is rooted in the principles of freedom, decentralisation, and community self-governance, and we engage extensively with stakeholders locally and abroad on matters affecting the long-term stability and cohesion of South Africa.

Recent developments — including escalating social tensions, deteriorating governance, growing international concern, and the clear diplomatic strain following the G20 — have prompted us to express our deep and urgent concern about the trajectory of the country.

South Africa is facing a convergence of crises. These include:

- the consequences of a destructive policy environment;

- the collapse of essential state functions; and

- the targeting of minorities through inflammatory rhetoric and exclusionary policies.

As a result, the country witnesses a deepening of mistrust between communities and the state. South African society has become characterised by low trust, but high longing. This is a recipe for conflict. The more intervention is delayed, the more difficult it would be to do what is necessary to act in the interest of the peoples of this beautiful land.

These issues are not matters of political disagreement alone, as they sprout from a political system that is not sustainable. It is not sustainable in the sense that it has become highly centralised, and it doesn’t take sufficient cognisance of cultural and community dynamics, including the natural right of peoples to govern themselves.

As you have noted, South Africa’s challenges must indeed be confronted internally. However, this requires a climate in which serious concerns are acknowledged, legitimate voices are heard, and engagement occurs in good faith, with the aim not at providing the proverbial “tea and sympathy” to marginalised and disgruntled communities, but at taking decisive action to ensure sustainable solutions.

Regrettably, many groups raising these issues have found the space for such engagement increasingly constrained. In our observation, dialogues and commissions that proclaim to provide inclusivity are structured to ensure predetermined outcomes, leaving critical matters unresolved and frustration deepened. It is for this reason that many in South Africa regard the National Dialogue as a form of window dressing as opposed to genuine engagement.

Yet, throughout the last year, you have repeatedly responded to criticism by emphasising your openness to dialogue to discuss these issues. It is in the light of your invitation that Lex Libertas respectfully requests a meeting with you to discuss the following:

- The nature and scale of the crises facing South Africa;

- The growing domestic and international perception that the current political order is no longer viable;

- The need for constitutional reform that meaningfully decentralises power and strengthens community self-governance; and

- Practical steps that could be taken to stabilise relations with key international partners, including the United States.

We believe that open engagement between the South African government and serious civil society actors is essential for restoring trust, reducing tensions, and safeguarding the future of the country. As a think tank and advocacy group, Lex Libertas stands ready to participate constructively in any initiative that promotes genuine dialogue and solutions rooted in freedom, justice, stability, and constitutional responsibility.

Should you refuse, it would be reasonable to expect that local and international campaigning in favour of a more viable political order would increase.

Thank you for considering this matter. We remain committed to the wellbeing of the peoples of South Africa and to working towards a political dispensation in which all communities can live in peace, dignity, and freedom.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Ernst Roets

Executive Director

Lex Libertas

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Open Letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa